Let it Commence
by curse u to oblivion
Summary: When The Hunger Games no longer entertain, what comes into play? The Purge of course. Katniss, Gale, Peeta and others must fight to survive the night. Everyone must participate. All murders are legal. Let the 1st annual purge commence.
1. 1:If it's a Fight you Want, So Be it

**A/N: This has been in my head since I watched the Purge, and now I'm finally trying to bring it to life. It's not the exact same plot of the Purge, but it is similar. Will switch from District to District. Let it commence!  
**

**1: If it's a Fight you Want, Then So Be it. **

** …****. "**Now, citizens of Panem, I have a very important announcement for you. You see, in the last couple of years, the citizens of the Capitol have tired of the Hunger Games. They feel it does not create enough entertainment for them. Too many tributes are afraid to kill, which is unsatisfying. We can't have our citizen's bored now, can we?"

"For this year instead of the Hunger Games, I have come up with a much more unique form of entertainment."

Earlier today, Cesar Flickerman announced that there would be a "twist" in the Hunger Games this year. Now Katniss and Gale sit with their families in Katniss's living room.

None of them like what they are hearing.

"Let me announce the commencement of a brand new form of punishment: The 1st Annual Purge."

Everyone stares at the screen, confused. What?

President Snow continues.

"The purge is simple: Kill. "

"Isn't that what we do already in the Hunger Games?" Prim asks, a slight tone of fear in her voice.

"Now, it is not District against District. It is District _against your own." _

_"__What does that mean? We are going to have to kill ….. each other?_ Katniss thinks to herself.

On Screen, President Snow answers her mental question.

"All twelve districts will compete in their own vicinity. That's means that District eleven will compete against District eleven and so on. Everyone, young or old will be participants. No one is exempt, not even Victors."

Well that is tough competition for them.

"The rules are as follow: You have twelve hours. All districts will have to kill anybody they wish. If you have rivals, now is the time to settle differences. All weapons are legal. Stealing is legal, only if it is from a citizen's home. Peacekeepers are excluded. The district with the most kills will win an entire year of Parcel Day."

Katniss stared at the T.V. _This can't be happening. _She thinks to herself. _Prim can't participate; I'm not going to let her. She's too innocent, too sweet. _

_"_Now let me make this very clear; EVERYONE must participate. If a dead body does not hit the floor every three hours, if everyone is not killing, hiding, or forming a plan, then the entire district will suffer... consequences." President Snow explains.

Although he didn't outright say it, the citizens knew their consequence would be similar to District Thirteen's consequence.

"The purge will start approximately tomorrow morning. Now is the time to formulate a plan, grab a weapon, or simply hide."

"Good Luck everybody and may the odds be ever in your favor."

The president steps out of the frame as the T.V shuts off.

Everyone sits there in stunned silence.

_No, this isn't happening. This is much worse than the Hunger Games. We can't... just kill each other. _Katniss thinks to herself.

"So…" Gale starts. Katniss turns to him. "Katniss I think I left something behind….. Want to come help me find it?"

Katniss knows he's lying but seeing as she needs to talk to him, she gets up and follows him.

They walk outside.

Snow hits the ground.

"So you really think this is going to happen? You don't think he's bluffing?" Gale asks Katniss.

Katniss shakes her head, "No, he is not bluffing. There is no way that he would just "cancel" the Hunger Games unless there was something more

brutal for us to do."

"So then, it looks like we are going to have to kill each other."

Katniss nods, "Looks like it."

They walk toward the edge of the meadow.

"Maybe nobody will do it. Maybe nobody will go along with it."

"Gale,the District needs the food. Even though, it's cruel, people would rather murder, than have their families go hungry."

_Like us._

"Katniss, if we are going to do this, we need to find a way to hide the kids. There is no way I am letting them see any of this."

Katniss agrees.

Snow hits the ground.

Silence.

"People might hunt us down."

Gale turns to her.

"Think about it. We are the biggest threat here. Everyone knows that we hunt. They know that we need the food, so

they might think we will kill everyone just so we could get it."

Gale sighs, "You're right."

Silence fall again.

"We cannot let them hurt the kids."

"I know Katniss, I know."

Snow starts falling on them.

"So, Gale what do you think we should do?"

Gale thought about it. He never thought he would have to kill anything beside game. He swore he would always protect his family though.

He swore he would always make sure they were safe.

Katniss as well.

He picks up a flower covered in snow.

"We need to do the only thing we can."

He wipes the snow of the flower.

"We need to protect, and if needed, fight."


	2. 2:Keep her Safe

**A/N: Now, we will see how Peeta reacts to the news. Also I don't own the characters, everything belongs to Suzanne Collins, and The Purge is not mine, all that good stuff. **

**2: Keep her Safe.**

**"**_Everyone must participate..." _the words rung in Peeta's ears. Everyone must participate. Everyone. His mother, his brothers, the neighbor's next to him, the merchants, even the mayor.

Even the dark haired beauty from the Seam.

_No! She can't participate in this, she can't die. She has to live! _

_I have to protect her. _

Peeta knew that he couldn't abandon his family. He knew that he had to try to keep them safe.

But he also had to keep Katniss safe.

"Peeta?" his father called. "I'm right here dad." Peeta's father walked in the kitchen where Peeta was standing. His father had, what Peeta, calls the "lecture look" on his face. Peeta knew his father knew what he was thinking. "Peeta…'' "Look dad, I know what you are going to say. I shouldn't do it, but I have to. I have to keep her safe dad." Peeta said, with a look of sadness on his face. Peeta's father knew that. If it were up to him, both of them would leave the bakery in order to keep the females they love safe. Both of them would arm themselves with as many weapons as possible, to protect them. Of course, both of them knew that they weren't capable. They were strong, yes, but had too much kindness in them. They couldn't find it in their hearts to kill another human.

But Katniss's life is on the line, so Peeta could afford to think differently.

"Dad I have to do it, I have to go find her." Peeta looked at his father with desperation. He needs to do this. He needs to find Katniss.

"Peeta, listen Katniss is strong. She's a survivor. She can protect herself."

"Plus, she has that Hawthorne boy to look after her as well."

_Of course she does. _Peeta thought bitterly.

_She and Gale are a team; they would never leave each others side, especially in a time like this._

Peeta knew that Gale wasn't going to leave Katniss alone to protect Prim, but Gale also had his family to look after. In total they have six people to protect, excluding themselves.

_I don't care if Hawthorne's there or not. She needs more help. She needs me. _

_I have to make sure she's okay. _

Peeta turns to look at his father, "Look dad, you have two other sons to help protect this shop. You have mom, who has….. a good arm." Peeta cringes at the memories that come to him, "You also have yourself. You can protect yourself easily. Katniss has six other people she needs to protect. I have no one. I need to get to her. I need to get to her before this starts, or else she will never trust me. She would probably shoot me on site. "

"Please dad just let me go. Let me go find her. Tell the rest of the family that I ran away, stormed off, I don't care just let me go please!" Peeta said. He wanted so much to go to Katniss, to try to convince her to let him join them. He needs to help them form a plan.

Peeta's father stayed silent for a few moments. He knew he couldn't let his son go, but he know that if the tables were turned, he would be the one begging to go keep Mrs. Everdeen safe.

"Dad… I can keep _her _safe too. I can help Katniss protect _her._ I can go. You can't. You have to stay here to protect the shop. You have to stay with mom. Please dad, just let me go!"

Peeta's father thought long and hard, but finally he knew. He knew he had to let Peeta go. If he didn't, Peeta would find a way to go during the Purge, which was far more dangerous.

And of course, he did want_ her _safe as well.

"Okay Peeta, I'll let you go. You go to her. Keep her safe, but if anything happens, if anything feels wrong , you come straight back here. Understand?"

Peeta smiled, relieved that he didn't have to fight his way out. "Of course, dad of course. Don't worry I'll be with her. After all she _is _a survivor." His dad chuckled at that. "I'll be back alright? I'll see you then. "Peeta gave his dad a strong hug. "I love you son, be careful, I'll tell the others you ran away when I came to find you alright? I love you."

"I love you dad, don't worry I'll keep them safe. " Peeta gave his father one last hug, before heading out the door.

_I'll find her. I'll find her and keep her safe. I'll get her to trust me, I have too!_

_Gale…. Let's not worry about him right now. It's all about Katniss. That's all that matters. _

Of course, there was also the fact that Peeta, though strong, was kind. Would he really protect Katniss when it came down to it? Would he kill?

Snow hit the ground as he walked toward the Seam.


	3. 3: A Blind's Man Bluff

**Chapter 3: A Blind's Man Bluff**

Johanna stood in her backyard, swinging her axe around.

_"__The entire district will suffer the consequence…" _Johanna hoped that the old man was bluffing, but she experienced firsthand that her _dear _President wasn't one to bluff.

After all, her family didn't die because they got "lost" in the woods.

"Johanna, are you out there," called a voice, which Johanna recognized as her mentor, Blight.

**"**Yea I'm right here, passing the time before we all die." Johanna called back sarcastically.

Blight came into view, his face tired, and his body worn out. "So, I take it that you heard the news?"

"Of course, it's mandatory viewing isn't it?" Johanna said, while rolling her eyes.

Blight ignored the comment. "So… what are you going to do?" "What are _we _going to do? Our entire district must fight!" Blight said. "Yea, Yea, I know we all have to participate or _suffer the consequences." _ Johanna spoke the words with a hiss of boredom.

She turned to him, while putting her axe down. "Look I have three ideas, A: We all kill, it's what Panem's all about right? B: We stay put and sacrifice someone every three hours so we can follow the official rules. Or C: We all stand in an act of defiance and rebel against the purge. So, which sounds convenient to you?"

Blight looked at her in shock. He knew that his tribute was a loud mouth, but he knew that it wasn't safe to voice those thoughts out loud.

Especially when a "rule change" can send an entire District to kill you.

"Look Johanna, we need to come up with a plan, we can't just stand around at let people act alone. We need to help, or protect ourselves." Johanna laughs, "Protect ourselves from _what_? The skinny little kids down the street? The butcher? The foreman?" Johanna picks up her axe again, "Aren't you forgetting that we are victors? Victors who had to _kill_ in order to live? Victors who murdered in cold blood?" She swings here axe close to Blight's face. "Do you _really_ think that people would try to hunt us down? I killed twelve people Blight are you forgetting that?"

Blight looked at Johanna and sighed. He knew she was right, but that didn't settle the panic he felt. "Yes, but if you keep up with that mouth of yours, you will probably end up the MVP to kill in this purge, rules can change."

Johanna laughs again "Well if everyone comes to kill me, so be it. I like living alone after all."

Blight knew there was no changing her mind. She was his most stubborn tribute after all. "So….. you are just going to stay here?" "Nope, I am going to move around, hide, go outside watch some killing, drink , and have a good time." Johanna said with a serious face. Blight sighed, "I got to go. I'll see you before this starts Johanna, I hope you change your mind."

"Keep dreaming. See you around Blight, and may the odds be _ever _in your favor," she said with a smirk. Blight just shook his head and left.

Johanna knew that there was no way out of this. She knew that in two days, only half the district would remain. She won about 6 years ago. District seven hasn't had a victor since then. The people were hungry, they were angry. She knew that they would fight, especially with all the drama and rivalry in the district.

_Or __maybe people will not play along. _

She puts her axe down, and walks into her house. She always thought that her house was too big for one person, now that her family was gone. She considered selling it, but knew President Snow would never allow that. He does take care of his victors after all, making sure they live a life of luxury.

She hated her life. She hated how alone she was. She hated the games, hated how her District is starving.

And now this. This Purge sequence that was going to start in a day.

The only thought that kept her going was freedom.

As, she walked, she wondered how the other Districts were handling it.

She wondered how a certain person in District Four was handling it. After all, he had two people he needed to protect.

Snow hit the ground as she walks to the main square.

**Well, as you can see, we will travel to District Four Next.**

**Review! **


	4. 4:The Sea, The Sand, The Blood

**4: The Sea, the Sand, and the Blood **

Finnick went sprinting through the damp sand. He was afraid he had lost her, when he

spotted dark wavy hair flowing behind her back. He tries to catch up to her, but she was running at a rapid pace. She runs into a wide, open cave. He follows her in there, but does not see her in the opening of the cave.

"Annie?" he calls.

No response.

"Annie, where are you?"

Silence.

He began to speak louder.

"Annie, please answer me. Please Annie."

Silence answers him again.

He was very concerned now. Annie, though strong, got lost in her own mind. He worries that she might jump into the water, where sharp jagged rocks would also greet her.

He went further into the cave, though he could hardly see anything due to the blackness. He squinted in the dark, trying very hard to spot sea green eyes, dark hair, or a white dress. After a few minutes, he finally heard soft whimpering coming from his left.

"Annie?" Finnick said hesitantly as he walked toward the noise.

He barely can make out the white of her dress, and the red of her eyes.

She was crying. The sight broke Finnick. "Annie," he walked closer, "Annie it's me Finnick. Your Finnick. Remember?" She didn't answer him. She just continued to cry.

He moved closer to her, but he stayed a cautious distance away. He didn't want to frighten her anymore than she already was.

Suddenly, she started mumbling. Finnick couldn't understand what she was mumbling until he got a little closer.

"The monsters, yes I know. They are going to find me; they are going to take my head! They are always taking someone's head; mine will be chopped into little pieces. Little chopped pieces, with blood. Yes lots of blood. Too much blood. So much blood." She was lost in her head, talking to whoever she thought was in front of her. Finnick knew that she was in, what he calls, a "trance" but it still pains him to hear her speak like this. He reached out to touch her shoulder, but pulled back knowing that would be a bad idea. Just like the last time….

He tries to call her back. "Annie, come back. We are supposed to go swimming remember? We can go swimming, and then we can play your favorite game? Don't you want to play Annie? I want you to come back so we can play. So we can have fun like we always do."

She still was mumbling, shaking, and rocking back and forth on the edge of a small cliff in the cave. She wasn't listening.

He tries again. "Annie, it's not real. I'm real, I'm Finnick remember? I said I wouldn't let the monsters take your head. I said I would protect you Annie. Please come back. I will protect you Annie. I promise, I always promise."

He sees that she stopped rocking.

Slowly, she stops shaking and mumbling. She starts blinking rapidly.

"Finnick?" she said. "Yes it's me Annie, it's Finnick."

She turns to him. "Finnick… the monsters! They said… they said." She begins to rock again. He moves next to her and wraps his arms around her.

"Shhhh, Annie it's okay. It's going to be okay. The monsters won't get you, I promise."

He rubs his hand down her back, to make sure that she stayed in reality.

"But, Finnick, he said! He said we all have to kill! We all have to kill, or else we all die! Everyone has to kill and everyone will try to kill Annie, because Annie is mad, and the monsters hate Annie….." she trails off, and stares at something in the darkness that only she could see.

Finnick takes her face in his hands. "Annie, listen I'm _not _going to let anybody harm you, you understand? _Nobody _is going to put their hands on you. Neither you nor Mags. I'll protect both of you. I'm strong remember? I've protected you before. I kept you safe in the forest. I made sure you were taken care of. You're strong. You can get through this. I know you can."

He spoke the words with such fierceness, that Annie started crying again.

"Finnick, I don't want to do this, I don't want anyone to die! I don't want to kill! I can't kill anyone Finnick, I can't! I don't want….. I don't want you….. I don't want you to…" she couldn't get the words out. The imagery was too horrifying for her.

He looks straight into her eyes. "Listen, you won't have to kill anybody, alright? You'll hide. You'll hide with Mags. I'll make sure, nobody finds you. You'll be alright Annie, I promise."

He continues. "Tell you what, when this is over we will camp okay? We will camp on the beach for as long as you want. I'll even make you your favorite snack. Just promise me that you'll stay with me."

She looks at him, and slowly nods her head. "I promise Finnick, just promise me that _you _will be careful. Don't… don't step in front of me for anything."

Finnick looks at her. He knew he couldn't lie to her. He knew that she needed him, almost as much as he needed her. Annie and Mags were the only people who he loved, who he cherished. He knew that when it comes down to it, he will protect them, at any costs.

Even if it means his own life.

He doesn't voice that out loud; he smiles and takes Annie's hand "I promise."

Of course, promises can be broken. Just like the "promise" Snow made him about his family's safety.

His family is on the ocean floor now.

**A/N: Just a little side note, the actual Purge sequence won't happen for a few more chapters. I want to show some events before it actually starts. The Purge sequence will be a little different from the movie, meaning that I will show what's happening in all the districts. I will focus more on the killing, rather than a home invasion. **

**If you can, review please. Thank You.**


	5. 5:If you Can Walk, Why Can't You Run?

**A/N: The You Guys Rock and Take My Mind Off of How Much Work I Have List: **

**Segir (Woo!)**

**Doctor Number 11 (Woo!)**

**Strawberry-cl (Woo!)**

**And Demented Kitten Queen (Woo!)**

**Thanks for reviewing, following, all that good stuff. **

**And here's chapter 5. Enjoy!**

**5: If You Can Walk, Why Can't You Run?**

"We need to think of a plan, Gale,"

Katniss and Gale sat in the woods for a while before they ventured into town. In the woods, they had sat in silence, both wanting to speak, but both knew that there was nothing to say that was already known.

Both knew that District Twelve wasn't very spaced out. Only about eight thousand people lived here. There were not many places to hide. Most people in the District were skinny, starving people who don't even have the strength to pick up a knife.

They knew that they were both hunters and survivors. They knew they could make it.

But, when it comes down to it, can they kill another? Would they give into their rage?

Katniss and Gale had looked at each and the answer was clear: Yes, yes they would in order to protect the ones they loved most.

But then again, both were pitiful. Both felt sorry for the weak.

Both wanted everyone to survive.

Now they were trying to think of a way to "survive the night."

"Well… we could do it." Gale said. Katniss looked at him, confused. "Do what?''

"Run, off hide in the woods, you and I we could make it." "What about our families?"  
"They can, come too. We would be able to protect them better. Nobody knows the woods like we do. Nobody would think of hiding in there." Katniss thought about it. She could picture them running, hiding in the woods for twelve hours. They could run and run until they reached forbidden land. They could live a new life, live a free one. It would be a utopia for them.

But, Katniss also knew that she couldn't do it. She couldn't leave. She had a very strange feeling that if they left, they would get caught.

And the Capitol isn't known for their generosity.

They had reached the town square. Some Capitol trucks had just pulled in.

"Gale… we can't do it. We wouldn't make it five miles. I took Prim in the woods for five minutes. She couldn't even handle that. She wouldn't feel safe." _I wouldn't feel safe, _she thought. Having to look over her shoulder every second wasn't an ideal life for her.

Of course, starving, hunting illegally, and participating in a mass murder wasn't an ideal life either.

Two Peacekeepers came out of the truck. They open the back.

Gale watches them. "Katniss, think about it. Do you really want to participate in this… this madness? Do you want to risk your mother's or Prim's life? We won't make it _5 minutes _tomorrow."

"Gale, Shh." She didn't know if anyone can hear them. She didn't know if the Peacekeepers can hear them. They would be in a worst situation than the one they are now.

The peacekeepers took out boxes of weapons. Massive weapons.  
"Katniss, come on. We need to stay _safe. _Not with a bunch of food deprived people, who will do anything to live."

_Well it's no different than how we are now. I'm sorry, Gale I can't._

"Gale, I'm sorry, I can't. I would feel safer against food deprived people, rather than an army of Peacekeepers."

The Peacekeepers take out dozen of guns.

Gale wanted to argue. He felt angry that Katniss, _Katniss _would rather risk Prim's life than keep her safe.

But he knew there was no arguing. She was completely stubborn.

_And kind of right._

Two people storm out of a merchant store. They start shouting at each other.

"Alright, Katniss then what should we do? Hide? Fight? Run? Where are we going to stay? The Seam?"

The people who stormed out start pointing fingers at each other. They both look furious.

"We need to think of a place that no one would ever go, besides the woods of course. Somewhere people would be afraid to enter. Somewhere that is easy to defend."

Gale starts to get annoyed. "Well that just rules out everywhere. Oh no, I got it, the mines! We would _surely _be safe there. Pick axes, claustrophobia, somewhere people work every day. Oh what fun!"

Katniss turns to him angrily. She says, "This isn't something to joke about _Gale. _I'm serious. We need somewhere to go. Somewhere to hide."

The Peacekeepers go to the mayor's house with a box full of weapons. Massive weapons.

"I got just the place…" a voice, kind, behind them said. They both turn around.

Katniss sees who it is. She had seen him before.

She froze in terror.

_Not him._

Gale didn't look too thrilled either.

"Think about it. What is the scariest place here? What has been the force behind our fear?"

Haymitch Abernathy passes in front of them, looking drunk and angry.

Nobody sees him.

"What is everyone afraid of? Why are we all so happy to turn nineteen?"

Katniss was thinking about bread.

Gale was getting frustrated.

"What is –

"Why don't you just spit it out, instead of playing games with us?" Gale said angrily.

Katniss didn't even turn to Gale. _Bread, Death, Saved, Bread._

The kind voice sighs. "The Hunger Games. That's what I was trying to get you guys to say.

And who wins those games? Who _wins _by murdering other children?"

The weather turns freezing cold.

And Katniss finally gets it.

She looks at Peeta.

"The Victor's Village."

Peacekeepers exit the Mayor's house. No weapons are with them.

**This chapter was so hard to write. Hopefully it isn't too bad.**

**Reviews are always welcome.**


	6. 6: A Heads up, So Prepare

**A/N: So, this random company has called me ten times in the last twenty minutes! It's ticking me off, man and they don't even leave a message. I'm about to decline their calls with a message that says "Out throwing spears at Dummies. Call back later" (Sighs) Anyway, here is Chapter…6? Yeah 6. Enjoy.**

**6: A Head's up, So Prepare.**

**(****_Few months before)_**

"Oh that was so much fun, Finnick! I'm glad _someone _around here is entertaining!"

Finnick was sitting, as he usually does when he came to the Capitol, in some stranger's bed who had purchased him from Snow.

"I mean, the games were just terrible! No blood at all!"

Finnick has three categories of his "lovers": The Rough, The Emotional and The Ones-Who-Can-Never-Shut-Up.

This one was definitely in the third.

"And the boy from District Twelve, what was his name... Oh, who cares. Anyway, that boy didn't even kill! He saved some of the others! What entertainment is that? So uninteresting!"

_Your uninteresting _Finnick thought as he imagined telling her this so she would just shut up.

He couldn't, of course, unless he wanted Annie dead.

_Annie…._

_No I can't think of her. Not Now. _

The girl, whose name Finnick can't remember, continues "It was boring I tell you! No fun at all! You should hear the complaints going around! Some are saying that…."

Finnick tuned her out. He really wasn't in the mood to hear what the Capitol was saying. He thought of other subjects, such as the sea, the sand, and how much he wanted to be free.

_I hope Annie is okay. Mags is in her room back at the training center, but I hope she had enough sense to call Annie to check up on her. _

Finnick mentally laughed. _Of course Mags has enough sense. She's the wisest person in the world. _

He stared at a picture on the wall. It had a red X slashed across a circle.

"…. And everything. But good news! Someone said that it wasn't going to happen anymore. No more boring tributes."

That caught Finnick's attention "What? What do you mean?"

The girl flushed "Oh, I really shouldn't tell you, it's confidential."

_A Secret. Now that's more like it. _

He moved closer to her, bringing her almost on his lap. He strokes her hair softly, and then her face. "Don't worry, you can trust me. I'm not going to say anything, I promise"

He says it so sugary. So persuasive. So charming.

Everything he isn't.

He gives her legs a slow stroke.

She shivers. "Oh yes, of course Finnick I can trust you. Okay, well there are rumors going around saying that the Hunger Games are over."

Finnick freezes. _She can't be serious. "_You're joking."

"Oh no, really the president has heard of the bored whispers of the citizens. He doesn't like it when his people are displeased. "

Finnick has to use all his might to keep from snorting.

"Yes, you see it is said that he has come up with a _new_ form of entertainment. Something that will keep us talking for months! Something that will be much more bloody and violent!"

_What is she talking about? What can be worse than having children kill each other?_

He gets his answer.

"President Snow has said that his going to do this thing called….. The Point? The Surge? Anyway, he wants to do this new game where the districts must kill each other! Everyone has to murder one another! Everyone must participate, and, here's the best part, even _Victors! _Victors are strong, so they can kill entire districts! Isn't that fun?"

Finnick wanted to run to the bathroom and vomit out his entire stomach, but he forced himself to stay put.

She took his silence as excitement. "It's great isn't it? Everyone will be given a weapon to kill! And everyone must give a bloody kill! Or else the Capitol will give out a consequence. President Snow says he's not going to tell the District's that part though."

Finnick stares at the red X again.

In his head, his Annie calls for him. She comforts him.

She tells him he's the bravest man in the world.

**OK so I know this is a "filler" chapter, but I wanted to get some characterization in there. I want the Purge to start on Chapter 10, so we have 4 chapters to go. It's Friday so I will update in about 2 hours again. **

**Reviews= Cookies **


	7. 7: Who's the best? A murderer

**A/N: Hey, see I told you I would update again today. It's cold outside, so I'm sitting in my house with some spare time, which I use to update. **

**7: Who's the best? A murderer. **

Gale stares at Katniss.

_What?_

_"_The Victor's Village, that's where nobody would go. Haymitch lives there, and nobody likes him"

Gale frowns. "Yes but, he's drunk all the time. Doesn't that make him an easy target?"

Peeta, who both forgot was there, spoke up, "There are rumors about Haymitch; that he sleeps with a knife. That he has his house triggered in case of an emergency. "He pauses, as he takes in Katniss. "I don't think anyone would go there."

Katniss gives a ghost of a smile.

Gale still doesn't look satisfied. "Yes, but that's another problem. He _lives _there. You really think he's going to let 8 people just waltz right in there and hide?"

_Nine, _Peeta corrects mentally. "Maybe… if we play our cards right. If we convince him that we can help him maybe he-"

"Whoa, Whoa hold up there what do you mean _we? You're _not coming with us Mellark." Gale gave a threatening face.

Katniss looks extremely uncomfortable.

Peeta looks straight at Gale, "You'll need help. Haymitch might think you're threatening. Everyone knows how strong you too are. Nobody really sees me as a threat. I can help you guys talk to him; I can get him on your guy's good side."

Even _more _Peacekeepers come into town. They start to give everyone in the town square a gun and a melee weapon. They force them into everyone's hands.

They start to come towards the group.

Katniss sees them.

"Look Gale, we don't have much time. We need to get out of here now, before things get worse."

"No, I don't want him coming."

The Peacekeepers inch closer.

"Gale, we have to go. Now."

Peeta saw the peacekeepers. "Look, I don't know if you believe me, but you can trust me. I won't hurt anyone. I will try to help save you guys." He looks down. "After all I am just a baker's boy. I just bake,"

_Bread, he saves people…. He saved me. He saved my life._

_I can repay him._

Gales still wasn't buying it.

"Look-"  
"You three, take these, now." The Peacekeepers push guns and large swords in their hands.

Gale narrows his eyes, "And, what are we going to do with _these?"_

Katniss almost pinches him.

The Peacekeepers laugh, "To kill. Now, the President requests that you take these, just so you can have some practice for tomorrow."

Gale looks angry. He opens his mouth, when Katniss takes his arm, "We need to get going. Come on Gale, we need to go…. Practice."

Katniss tugs on him before he can get another word in.

Peeta follows them.

Gale turns around, "I _said _you were not welcome. Now go!"

Peeta doesn't move. "I am coming with you. You'll thank me later. Trust me."

Gale doesn't answer. He lifts up his arm when Katniss stops him. "Gale stop. Just. Let him come okay? He can be trusted. He won't hurt anyone."

Peeta smiles. _Well that was easier than I thought._

Gale looks at Katniss, "What! You don't even know him!"  
Katniss sighs, she takes Gale aside. "Look Gale, you and I both know we aren't good at making friends. You've seen him. He has lots of friends. Everyone likes him. He can help." _And I can repay him. _Katniss lowers her voice, "Plus if he starts to look suspicious, we'll throw him out. Easy."

Gale looks at the gun in his hand. "Alright. " He turns back to Peeta. "Let's go."

...

They walk toward the Victor's Village in silence.

Gale was thinking about Peeta. Peeta was thinking about Katniss. Katniss was thinking about how Gale was thinking about throwing out Peeta.

It felt like hours, but eventually, they made it to the entrance to the Victor's Village.

All of them stop.

"Okay…. So now what do we do?" Gale asks.

Peeta is the one that answers "We find Haymitch's house." Peeta walks forward, while Gale and Katniss follow slowly behind.

Peeta walks toward the third house on the right. He stops on the stairs, while he waits for Katniss and Gale to catch up.

He still holds the sword and the gun in his hand.

Gale looks at him suspiciously. "It seems like you know where you are going."

Katniss looks at Peeta suspiciously.

Peeta just looks at them calmly.

He pushes the door open. "See, he doesn't even lock the door. He knows nobody is going to come in here."

Peeta moves forward. "Come on."

Katniss and Gale move into the house. They gasp.

The house is _filthy._It looks like someone ransacked it, and then had a party afterwards. There are broken glass bottles and the floor, papers torn apart, the stains are on the carpet.

And what is that _stench?_

_"_It smells like…. Like" "Like Vomit" Gale finishes for Katniss.

Peeta doesn't even look alarmed. He turns to them. "We need to be careful.''

Peeta walks forward, to what _looks _like the kitchen, but they weren't' too sure with all the dirty objects around the floor.

_Why is he so….. Calm? Maybe we shouldn't have trust him. Or better yet maybe I shouldn't have been naïve enough to think that he WAS trustworthy._

_Just because he gave me bread. _

When they enter the kitchen, all three see a drunken mess lying on the table.

Haymitch.

He isn't asleep, which may be a good or bad thing, they'll find out soon.

Peeta turns to Katniss. He puts his finger to his lips, signally them to be quiet. He tip toes slowly, very slowly to Haymitch.

Haymitch doesn't notice.

Peeta speaks up "H-ee-e-e-y Haymitch. Haymitch!"

Haymitch goes flying up; knife in hand a wild look in his eyes. He goes flying around, almost hitting Katniss in the eye. Gale pulls her back, while Peeta tries to restrain Haymitch.

"Hey, hey calm down. Calm down. You're in District Twelve. You're in your house."

Katniss and Gale just stare.

Haymitch blinks a little. Slowly, he starts to regain focus. He finally sees three teenagers in front of him, instead of six tributes. He lowers the knife.

He looks at them "What do you want! What are you doing here? Who said you were allowed here?"

Peeta answers kindly, "We wanted to ask you a question. We need your help."

Haymitch laughs, "Boy what do you need my help with? I can't help you. I have over 30 dead tributes to prove it."

Katniss cringes.

"Listen, I know you heard the announcement. We need help for tomorrow."

Haymitch looks at the weapons in their hands.

"Seems, to me like you have enough help on your own."

All three of them look down. They keep forgetting that they carry something.

Two weapons in fact.

Peeta keeps talking, "Listen, there isn't anywhere else to go and we were wondering-

"You were wondering what, if you can stay here?" Haymitch laughs again. "Nice try, boy, but that's out of the question."

Gale looks angry. Again.

"_Why?"_

Haymitch looks at him. "Because I don't want you here, pretty boy. You and sweetheart over there."

Katniss narrows her eyes. "Don't call me _sweetheart."_

"I think I can call you whatever I want _Sweetheart. _Now get out, all of you."

None of them moved. Katniss looks like she was about to hit something.

Haymitch looks at them like they were stupid. "Are you deaf? I said get out all of you. Go hide somewhere else. Oh and here's some good advice… Stay Alive."

He starts laughing loudly. He turns toward the kitchen to pour himself a drink.

And that's when Katniss snaps.

She gets the knife that Haymitch was holding and throws it toward a bottle right next to him. It hit's the glass, and the bottle shatters.

Haymitch turns around looking furious. He charges toward Katniss, but before he can make a move, both Gale and Peeta restrain him to the ground.

"Don't you _dare_ touch her." Gale whispers angrily.

Haymitch doesn't even look shocked. In fact he looks impressed.

"Oh, what's this? Does District Twelve actually have some fighters here?"

None of them answer. They just stare down at him.

Haymitch continues. "Where were you guys when the Hunger Games were happening? We could have had three victors right here."

Katniss speaks up, "We are too busy trying to _survive. _Now, let me ask again. Will you help us? Because I have pretty accurate aim." _With a bow and arrow not a knife._

_ He doesn't need to know that. _

Haymitch looks at her. "Now, why would I help you? What is so important that you need to come here?"  
Katniss looks at him. In a rush she states, "I have a sister Prim. She's small, sweet, and innocent. She needs protection. I need to protect her. My mother is frail. She needs protection. Gale has three siblings and a mother. All of them need protection. I need to protect them."

Haymitch considers this. _Hmmm if she's willing to come here, I assume that means they mean a lot to her. She's strong this one. But too loving. That's not going to help tomorrow._

_YEP they do need help. They won't know when to kill._

Haymitch looks at her, "So what do I get in return?"

...

"Anything."

But it's not Katniss who says this.

It's Gale.

**Whew! This took me longer than I thought to update! It's long, I know, but I needed to show this interaction. **

**Review, Please! You know you wanna…..**


	8. 8: You Have a Day, That's Enough

**A/N: It's raining, it's pouring, and this girl right here is angry because she can't go outside. Luckily, I have time to update. Woo!**

**8: You Have a Day, That's Enough.**

Plutarch stared at the Head Gamemaker. He was confused on what was being said.

"Only a day, sir? Isn't that too little time? Shouldn't we give the Districts more time to prepare?"

Seneca Crane looked at him. Calmly, he states "the President wants them unprepared. He wants them to have a surprise attack. He wants to throw them in the middle of a war and sees how it plans out. "

"But wouldn't it be more entertaining if everyone knew what they were doing? Everyone can defend themselves, which can cause an epic battle to commence."

"Tell me, Plutarch, would you target a person who you know can fight back? Would you target a highly skilled combatant?"

Plutarch looked down. No, he would not.

"Of course you wouldn't. The president knows what he is doing. He wants to drive fear into them, paranoia. He wants to drive them insane, so when the time comes they will kill."

Seneca walked toward the middle of the room, where a hologram of the districts lies in the middle of a table.

He looked at the Hologram. "And when the time is right, _we _will play our role. We will drive fear into them."

….

_Anything._

Gale had spoken the word with so much desperation. He needed to keep his family safe. Any means necessary. Even if it means hiding in an old drunk's house.

Haymitch chuckles, "Anything, ay? So if I ask you to kill every Peacekeeper in the entire District, including Thread, you would do it?"

Gale cringes, "I wouldn't go _that _far. Like Katniss said, we need to keep our families safe, not get them _killed." _

Haymitch grabs his drink, "Well then, I see we need a compromise. Alright, I'll help you, but don't nag me, and you have to do exactly as I say."

He looks straight at Katniss at the last part.

"Fine," says Peeta.

"So help us, tomorrow when people start to-"

"Whoa, Whoa, sweetheart one thing at a time. I thought I said not to nag me?"

Katniss groans, "So how are we supposed to know what to do tomorrow?"

Haymitch stands up from the table. He walks across the filthy living room floor to the T.V. He turns it on, switching it to the Capitol news channel.

Caesar Flickeman appears on the screen. With him is Claudius Templesmith, one of the announcers from the Hunger Games.

"Well, Claudius since we have a _special _event happening tomorrow, I think we should give the Capitol a little sneak peek on how the Districts are preparing, don't you?"

"Yes, Caesar, I feel that you are absolutely right! Let's take a look."

The screen switches to a view of a District. One? Two? Katniss didn't know which one it was.

Rarely, do Districts get actual screen time.

Can't have the Districts _knowing _about each other now can we?

On the screen, Katniss and the others see movement. The shot shows the town square, where people are exchanging objects.

Weapons to be exact.

Some people are sharpening knives. Some are throwing knives.

Some are practicing shooting with guns.

"Well now! We see that District Two is pretty eager for tomorrow, Don't we? Look even the children are!"

Sure enough, some kids, not older than 10, are swinging knives around.

"Oh, look at District Four! Preparing traps with nets I like that! Very clever."

"And do you see, District seven? Using lumber to barricade a door. How resourceful."

Peeta look sick. He couldn't believe people were actually playing along.

"It looks like it's going to be a fun day tomorrow."

Gale scoffs. He knew it was going to be anything but _fun._

Caesar continues, "The Districts have a lot of preparing to do. Let's give them time to practice."

"Now, let's go over what's to come. Tomorrow, instead of The Purge commencing in the morning, it will begin at night. That gives the Districts' some extra time. When it starts, The Districts will hear a siren. At that point, the T.V. will turn on. A message will come across stating the rules of the Purge. After it has ended, a loud siren will spread throughout the District. Then our great announcer, Claudius, will officially announce the commencement of the 1st Annual Purge."

Claudius laughs, "I am honored to be chosen! Now, let's remind the citizens of the rules. The Purge last twelve hours. All emergency contacts will be suspended. All murders are legal. Stealing is legal, only from a citizen's home.

None from the shops."

_Yeah, can't steal any of the Capitol's means of living, Right? _Gale thinks in disgust.

Peacekeepers are the only one's exempt. Everyone else must participate, including the Victors of the Hunger Games."

_That fantastic, as if killing kids in an arena wasn't enough. Killing an entire District, now that's more like it. _ Haymitch thinks sarcastically.

"That's going to be quite the twist isn't it? But, wait a minute; I have _an even bigger twist_, to announce!"

Katniss froze. _What now? Victors have to kill everybody? More Blood? Mutts?_

"President Snow has just informed me that there will be a special person, only one from the entire Districts, who will get to live their life… like a Hunger Games Victor."

_What? What is this, some type of reward to look forward too? _

"Yes that's right! One person, who the Capitol feels was the most entertaining, will get luxury. They will have the same compensations as a Hunger Games Victor would. They will even visit the Capitol! Exciting isn't it?"

_No that's not exciting. Not one bit. _Katniss thought.

Claudius' face lights up, "Yes that's truly exciting! It gives motivation for people to entertain! I feel that this will probably be the most entertaining show yet!"

"Yes, it will, yes it will. Now we will go to back to seeing the Districts."

Haymitch turns off the T.V. at that point. He turns to the three shaken up, teenagers behind him.

"Well, as you can see, this is being taken _very seriously. _There has to be a lot of killing going on. That's the reason why the Hunger Games was postponed; because there wasn't enough killing."

"You remember the bloodbath, in the arena right? Well this is going to be ten times worse."

They all shiver.

After a period of silence Peeta looks at him. "So what do we do? We do we do to survive?"

Haymitch walks around him to the kitchen. He walks toward the table where another knife lays. He picks it up.

He turns back toward them, "We do what we have too. _You _will do what you have too."

He spins the knife in his hand.

"We need to do anything to _stay alive."_

He turns back toward them, "I'm not saying that you guys are weak, but if you don't kick in you killing instincts now, let me tell you, it will not end well for any of you."

Katniss and Gale exchange a look. They know this. They are Hunters. They need to kill their prey for food.

And now, they must kill their prey for their families to survive.

….

Johanna had just turned off her T.V. She was angry at what she saw.

_Of course, everyone is going to participate. Why was I thinking that everyone was going to stand down in an act of defiance? _

She had just returned from her walk in the square. She wanted to see if people were actually going along with this.

And they were.

She stands in silence for a few moments.

Suddenly, she goes rushing to her room. She goes over to her dresser, where she picks up her coin jar.

She takes out one coin.

She goes back downstairs, and stands in the middle of the living room. She flips the coin.

"Heads," she says out loud.

The coin lands.

It's tails.

She goes towards the phone.

_Let's give Finnick a call. _

**Okay so we have Chapter 9, and then the Purge will start on Chapter 10. I know in the movie that they don't have a "special person", but I wanted to give the Districts more motivation to kill. **

**Review!**


	9. I Gave You a Warning

**A/N: (For readers who have read this story before Dec.7) I edited Chapters 1-8 yesterday. I didn't make any major changes, but I fixed some errors and added a couple of sentences.**

**9: I Gave You a Warning**

Annie was in the kitchen when the phone rang. She cleans her hands and goes to answer. She thought that it was Mags, who was one of the only people who call them.

She picks up the phone, "Hello?"

_Oh great, not monster girl. I don't want to deal with her right now._

_"_Hey Cresta, put Finnick on the phone. I need to ask him something."

"Johanna? Ummm okay I'll go get him, hold on."

Johanna was surprised. Usually Annie asked for a reason or got a flashback that had her mumbling for three hours whenever she called to talk to Finnick. But this time, she didn't.

_Hmm I wonder why she's so calm. I would think she would be in a full blown panic attack, especially with this thing happening tomorrow. _

Annie walks around the house calling for Finnick. He doesn't answer, even when she yells at the top of her lungs.

She checks the backyard. He isn't there.

She checks the room. He isn't there either.

He isn't anywhere in the house.

Now she starts to get worried._ Where is he? He always tells me when he is leaving the house. Where could he have gone?_

She recalls walking back to the house with him from the cave. She remembers him saying that he was going to freshen up, and she said she was going to eat.

She also swore she saw him go toward the basement, but she thought it was her mind playing a trick on her. He never steps foot in the basement.

Then again….

Annie walks toward the basement. She heads down the stairs.

Finnick is in the basement, trying to figure out something. He holds a paper in his hand.

_Hmmm, if I set the code to this then it will-_

_"_Finnick?" Annie says.

Finnick jumps up when hears her. He quickly presses a button, and puts down the paper he was holding.

"Annie? What are you doing down here? I thought you were eating?"  
"Johanna called. She is asking for you. What are _you _doing down here?"

Finnick shakes his head, "Nothing, I just…. needed a break. I'll go upstairs right now."

Annie didn't believe him. He wasn't looking at her; he was staring at the floor, which gives off the vibe that he is lying. She doesn't push it, though. She never has been one to snoop.

Finnick climbs the stairs and goes toward the phone. He picks it up.

"Hello?"

"Took you long enough, I've been standing here for twenty minutes. Where were you, someone's bed?"

Finnick rolls his eyes, "I was in the basement. Annie couldn't find me. What do you want?"

"I wanted to ask to see if you saw the program."

Finnick froze, "What program?"  
"The one that is showing how the Districts are preparing."

"No, I must have missed that. Did you get the letter I sent you?"

Johanna rolls her eyes, "Yes I got the pathetic letter. Thanks, but I don't need it. I'm fine by

myself."

"You sure? Because it's been months, and I haven't heard you do anything with the letter."

"Yes, Finnick, I am _fine. _Nobody's going to get near me."

Finnick sighs, "Okay Johanna. Did you tell the others? Blight and all of them?"

"No, I didn't. They would blab to everyone. Then we are all screwed."

Johanna looks behind her, "Listen I got to go. Remember about the program. Good Luck,

Finnick. And oh, what's up with Monster Girl? Why is she so calm?"

"_Annie _is fine. I don't know why she is calm. Probably because she knows I'm going to protect her."

Johanna laughs, "Yea right. Anyway, got to go. Hopefully, I'll see you soon. "

"Yea me too."

"Oh and Finnick?"

"Yes?"  
She pauses. "Don't use the one on the left."

She hangs up after that.

Annie looks at Finnick. "Everything okay?"

He nods, "Yes. Everything is fine. She'll be fine."

Annie nods, "I know. She's tough she can handle anything."

Finnick looks at her.

_Johanna was right. She is acting weird._

Annie was probably acting the calmest she had in months. What was up with her?

"Well, I guess I'll go back to eating. Want something?

_I guess I'll find out later. Maybe she's just blocking the fear out. Who knows. At least she's here with me._

Finnick smiles at her, "Sure. What do you have to eat?"

…

Haymitch leads the group downstairs into the basement. He turns on the light, where the group sees that the basement is mostly empty. There is just some carpet, papers, and a door on the other side. He walks toward the middle of the room.

"First things first, I know Bread Boy over here, but not you two."

He looks at Katniss and Gale.

"Katniss," Katniss says.

"Gale," Gale says.

Haymitch nods, "Right that gets that out of the way. So, give me some idea of what you can do. Katniss, I already know you are handing with a knife."

"Not really, but I can hunt," she says. "With a bow and arrow."

Haymitch nods, "Yes Bread Boy over here told me how fantastic you are."

Gale and Katniss look at Peeta, who doesn't meet their eyes. He stares at the floor.

_How did Mellark tell Drunk over here about Katniss without us knowing? We have been here the whole time with him. _

_Unless-_

_"_Right. What about you Pretty Boy? What can you do besides tackle people?"

Gale grins, "I am Katniss's hunting partner. I am decent with a bow, but I am much better at setting snares."

Haymitch nods again, "I see. Well I guess I was right when I said we have some skilled combatants here. Now, follow me."

Haymitch continues to walk toward the door.

That's when Peeta speaks up, "Haymitch, your right about Katniss and Gale." Haymitch turns to him, "They are survivors. But me, I can't do anything. Unless you count baking bread."

Katniss doesn't know why, but this rubs her the wrong way. " No, I've seen you in the market. You can lift hundred-pound bags of flour. "She snaps. "Tell him that's nothing."

"Yes, because hundred- pound bags of flour is surely going to put a stop to someone with a gun. It's not like being able to use a weapon. You know it isn't." he shoots back

Katniss glares.

_I'm trying to repay you, and you're making it hard._

"He can wrestle." She tells Haymitch.

_What the hell is going on? Why is Katniss trying to help him? Wait, HOW does Katniss know all about Peeta anyway? _Gale thinks.

"That's not-

"Listen, it's nice to know that you two have faith in the other," both blush, "but we don't have time for this. Now, shut up and follow me." Haymitch says.

Katniss turns away from Peeta. She looks at Gale, who has a questioning look on his face. She just shakes her head at him.

Haymitch walks to the door, where a panel with numbers is on the wall next to it. All of them stare at that, confused. They have never seen one of those before.

"What is that?" Katniss asks.

Haymitch presses four of the numbers, and then presses another red button. He waits a few moments, and then the door opens.

He steps inside. "Our protection."

The three follow Haymitch into the room. It looks like a living room. There is a TV, a couch, and another door. It looks much cleaner than the living room upstairs.

Katniss walks around, "What is this place? It's so….. clean."

Haymitch doesn't respond. Instead, he walks over to the door, where another panel with numbers is. He presses four numbers again, then the red button.

Just like before, the door opens after a few moments.

Inside, the room is blue. When they step inside, Katniss, Gale and Peeta, see that this room holds something a bit more sinister.

Weapons.

There are eight different types of guns on the shelves on the wall. There are spears on a rack next to them.

There is even a bow and arrow, though this one look much more deadly than Katniss's.

There is also some strange, Capitol technology sitting on a desk.

_What is this? It looks like… a shelter? I think it does. _Gale thinks.

_Hmmm, maybe those rumors where true after all._

"What is this?" Katniss says.

"This is me, saving your family. This is where the security for the house is. It puts the house on lockdown. I set it up a few months ago, just in case this happened."

They stare at him in shock.

"What! You knew? You_ knew _this was going to happen? Why didn't you say anything? You could have told us! We could have been prepared! We could have-

"Whoa, Whoa, Sweetheart, calm down. I couldn't tell anyone. _I _wasn't even supposed to know. Now, imagine if the President found out an _entire _District knew."

None of them said anything.

"Yea, it wouldn't have ended well."

"How did you know? Who told you?"

Haymitch sets his mouth in a thin line, "A little fish told me. It's not important. What is important is that you guys go get your families. Now."

"But first hand me your weapons."

All three of them looked at their hands. They keep on forgetting that they hold something.

"What for?" Gale asks, suspicious.

"I thought we agreed that you would do as I said? Just hand them over, it's not like you know how to use them anyway."

They look down. He was right.

They gave him their weapons which he put in a box. He turns to them. "It's late. I suggest you go get your families and come back here. It will be safer than coming back tomorrow."

He face turns dead serious, "Listen closely, make sure no one sees you, understand? Nobody can see you, or else they know you are planning something. Grab whatever you need, your hunting gear, whatever. Just make sure _nobody _sees you."

Gale and Katniss nodded. It was going to be hard, but they have hunter senses. They'll kno w when someone is near.

Haymitch nods, "Okay go, try to be back here in an hour. I'm going to go get a drink."

Gale and Katniss both head out to leave. They turn around and see that Peeta is still standing.

"Aren't you going too?" Katniss asks.

Peeta shakes his head, "No, my family is staying at the bakery. They will be safer there."

Katniss looks at him "But _you_ are staying here? Why?"

Peeta looks at her. He wants to tell her the truth, but he doesn't. Instead he shrugs his shoulders. "I think it will be better if we have more people here. It will be safer for your guy's siblings."

Gale looks at him. _What is up with this kid? Why is he so… concerned?_

"You guys are running out of time. Just go okay? You need to get back here soon."

They nod at him. Gale goes out the door first, but Peeta stops Katniss.

"Katniss?" Peeta says.

Katniss turns to him. "Yes?"

He hesitates a little, "I know I'm weak, but I am going to help you protect them. I'll help in any way alright?"

Katniss looks at him. She wonders why he is so kind, why he insists on helping her so much.

He saved her life once. Now he is trying to save her families.

Why?

Katniss smiles, "Thanks Peeta I really appreciate it."

He smiles back. Katniss gives him a nod, before heading out the door.

Gale and Katniss head out of the house toward the Seam.

_We can make it. Nobody will see us come here. It's late and snowing. We will be fine. _

**These chapters are getting longer, and I don't even know why Lol. **


	10. Everyone is a Certified Killer

**A/N: Special thanks to Segir, who is a committed reviewer. I think these chapters are getting better because I actually take my time, and not rush them (Like Chapter 1, which I revised.) I'm blessed in the fact that I don't have any homework, so I can work on this.**

**ALSO I DO NOT OWN THE PURGE! OR THE HUNGER GAMES FOR THAT MATTER.**

**Chapter 10: Everyone is a Certified Killer **

**…****.. **"Well finally. There you two are. Took you long enough. I was about to send Bread Boy to do a Search and Rescue."

Katniss and Gale had just returned to the Victor's Village with their families.

Their families were worried about the length of time they had been gone, but they didn't question them when they said they had to leave immediately.

Katniss's mother wasn't too thrilled that she had to hide in Haymitch's house, but she wanted to stay with Prim, so she agreed to go.

Gale's mother, Hazelle, agreed because she knew that there was no way the kids would be safe at the Seam.

Now they are all inside the house.

Katniss looks at Haymitch, "Well, seeing as we have to _do as you say,_ we had to make sure nobody saw us or was following us."

Both Gale and Katniss were fairly positive that nobody had seen them. The kids listened when they were told to be quiet.

Haymitch laughs, "Well did it have to take you two hours, or did you take a detour on the way here?"

"We had to run … somewhere to grab our hunting gear." Gale says.

Haymitch goes toward the kitchen, "Did this "somewhere" happen to be the woods?"

Katniss mouth falls open, "How did you-

"Listen sweetheart, I know things. Even things that you preferably wouldn't want to know."

Haymitch goes in the kitchen, where the kids are sitting eating some bread Peeta made.

Katniss notices this, "Peeta where did you find bread ingredients?"  
Peeta smiles, "Well, even though it may not look like it, there is eatable food in this house. I found some ingredients in the cupboards."

"So we have food then? For tomorrow?"

"Yep. My little bunker downstairs is stocked with some. That way, we can stay put."

Haymitch pours himself a drink, "Well, it's late. You three should take them downstairs. They could sleep in there, just so they get used to it for tomorrow."

Haymitch takes a sip, "I'm going to go to my room. Remember don't nag me. I'll tell you the game plan early in the morning."

They nod at him. "Alright guys it's time for bed. Let's go downstairs."Gale says.

The families and Peeta follow Gale downstairs. Posy and Prim look exhausted, but they do as they are told.

Prim stops. She goes over to Katniss.

Prim smiles , "Thank you Katniss. For bringing us here. For trying to help protect us."

Katniss gives her a smile and a hug, "Of course little duck. I'm always looking out for you and for Posy, Vick and Rory."

Prim nods. She looks down.

She frowns, "Katniss….. Are we going to be okay? Are we going to have to….. hurt somebody? Because I don't want to. I don't want anybody to get hurt."

Katniss sighs, _oh Prim you are too sweet. Too innocent. Too gentle. _

_You shouldn't have to witness any of this. _

Katniss takes Prim's hand, " Listen, let's play a game okay? Every time you feel sad or scared, you close your eyes, and start singing okay? Sing whatever will make you happy. Or you can come to me and I'll sing to you."

She runs a hand through Prim's long blond hair, "You are going to be okay. We all are. That's why I brought us here. Don't worry it will be over before you know it."

She gives Prim a small smile, "Now, go to sleep. I saw you yawning earlier. I know you are tired."

Prim frowns. She says, "I'm not tired," Before yawing again.

Katniss smiles, "Oh what was that then? Don't worry I'll be down there in a moment."

Prim gives her one last hug, "I love you Katniss."

"I love you too, Prim. Don't worry, I'll protect you."

Prim nods, before heading downstairs.

"She is a good kid. Isn't she?"

Katniss didn't notice that Haymitch was still standing in the kitchen.

Katniss nods, "Yes, the sweetest. That's why I need to protect her."

She lowers her voice, and lowers her eyes to the floor, "I love her more than anything."

She looks up at Haymitch again, "Hey that weapon room is closed right? I don't want the kids to be frightened."

Haymitch nods, "Yes I made sure it was closed. The other door is open though, otherwise you guys won't be able to get in."

His looks toward the window, "I'm the only one who knows the code that will open it, after all."

He looks back at her, "You should get down there. I'll be awake bright and early. I suggest you tell your bodyguard, and your biggest fan that they need to be awake at eight. Got that?"  
Katniss blushes, "Gale is _not _my bodyguard, and Peeta is _not _my biggest fan."

Haymitch chuckles, "Really? Because that's what it looks like to me, _Sweetheart. "_

Katniss glares at him, "I'm going now. Go… take a bath Haymitch."

Haymitch laughs, "Whatever you say, Sweetheart."

He leaves the kitchen after that.

….

"Well today's the big day! Wouldn't want to miss out on anything important now, do I?"

Johanna had woken up early, earlier than she usually does. She wanted to make sure her last minute arrangements were ready to go.

She puts on some clothes and heads downstairs. She walks outside and across the street, to where Blight lives.

_Crap. I forgot the stupid thing. Well, guess I better go back and get it._

She turns back around and heads back toward her house.

"Johanna?" a voice calls for her.

She turns around, "What Blight? Can't you see I'm busy?"  
"Well I saw you walking over here, and I wanted to see what had you up so early."

Johanna scoffs, "Can't I just walk around my own neighborhood without people nagging me? Seesh, maybe I just wanted to get one last walk in before someone comes and slaughters me. Ever think of that?"

Blight shifts uncomfortably, "Johanna, 1: you never get up early. Not even when you are mentoring. And 2: you never _walk the neighborhood. _Enough with the excuses. Now, why were you coming over here?"

Johanna huffs, "I said it was nothing! Now drop it!"

He walks toward her, "I'm not going to stop bugging you until you tell me the truth. Obviously you wanted to tell me something, now spit it out."

Johanna shakes her head and points her nose in the air, "Nope. Not important anymore. I'm going."

Blight walks angrily toward her, "Johanna-

"Fine! I wanted to show you something, but then I realized I forgot it and I was going back to get it. Happy now?"

Blight grins, "See that wasn't so hard was it? Now, what was it you wanted to show me?"

"If you follow me, I'll get it and show you."

They walk inside her house and upstairs to her room. She goes over to her dresser where she pulls out a piece of paper. She hands it to Blight.

Blight reads the paper. When he is done he looks at Johanna "Johanna…. Are you _sure? I_ mean it could be a-

"Yes I am sure. I got proof."

He doesn't believe her, "Who told you this?"

She doesn't respond. She walks over to the window.

"Johanna who told you this? How can you trust that they are right?"  
She huffs, "I just know okay? A little fish told me. The fish knows everything so I believe it."

Blight looks at her confused, "A little fish? What the hell does that mean?"

She shakes her head, "Never mind. I knew I shouldn't have showed you it. Just forget it. I believe it, and it doesn't matter if you do. Just, go. I need to get some work down."

Blight puts the paper down, "Johanna I-"

She turns around rapidly, "JUST GO! I need to do something! Now GET OUT, before I throw you out!"

Blight sighs, "Alright. I'll go. But just remember, _Rules can always change. _Don't believe anything anyone says."

_Promises can be broken. Yes I know. _

_"_Whatever Blight. Goodbye."

He walks out the room.

Johanna stares at the street below her.

_I knew I should have kept it to myself. Why WAS I thinking he would agree? Why am I so naïve?  
_ She turns back. She looks at the paper on the ground.

_Well I believe it, so we will see today if it is true._

She picks up another coin from her coin jar and heads downstairs.

….

"Well everything is all set. I think everything is going to go well, Mags. We should be okay."

It was an hour before seven, the time the Purge starts.

The time that everyone officially becomes a certified killer.

Finnick had brought Mags over to his and Annie's house. She suffered a stroke some years ago, so she had difficulty walking.

Finnick had helped her over.

They now sat in the kitchen with Annie, who was still acting calm.

"Yeah, we have food, the "necessities" and the backups we are all-"

"Finnick?" Annie says.

He looks over to her, "Yes Annie?"

She stalls a little playing with the hem of her shirt; she finally looks up, into Finnick eyes.

"What's going on?"

He scrunches his eyebrows together, "What do you mean?"

She looks down at her hands, "How do you know that everything is going to be okay? Why are you acting weird all of a sudden?"

He looks at her, "Why are _you _acting weird all of a sudden?"

Annie gives him a confused look, "What do you mean?"

He looks at Mags who gives him a smug grin. He had already told her about Annie's calm behavior. Mags told him not to worry about it. She said that Annie would tell him if anything was wrong.

Finnick shakes his head, "Never mind. It's nothing. I'm not acting weird. I am just sure that you are going to be okay alright? Like I said before I am going to protect you. You and Mags."

Annie smiles, "Yes I know. Can we go watch the show now?"

Right after Johanna had told Finnick about the program, he went to turn on the TV. Annie had gone with him. She saw that people were preparing. She saw that people were actually playing along.

She even saw an interview with a guy from District Two who was planning on getting revenge on one of his coworkers.

And yet she still stayed calm.

Finnick had no idea what was going on with her, but he trusted Mags, so he didn't push it.

He walked over to the TV and turned it on. Caesar Flickerman was doing a countdown on what used to be the interview stage for the Hunger Games.

"Well now, we have an hour to go! All the Districts seem like they are all prepared! Everyone looks excited, don't they?"  
The crowd cheers in response.

Caesar chuckles, "Yes, Yes indeed. Now let's move onto the cameras in the Districts."

Finnick turns it off.

_Cameras huh? So they are filming everything. I hope what I have works._

"We have an hour, Finnick. Are you ready?"

He nods at Annie, "As ready as I'll ever be."

The phone rings, "I'll get it," Finnick says.

He walks over to it and picks it up, "Hello?"

He listens to the voice on the other line. His face starts to pale.

"What! Are you sure? Crap. Now, I have too…. What? Okay, okay, I'll try. Yea I know Bye."

He hangs up the phone. He looks incredibly frightened.

"Finnick! What's wrong? Why do you look so scared?" Annie says,

He stares at the floor, "Nothing, Annie. I'll….. I'll tell you later. It's not safe now. Just …come with me."

Annie looks at him, skeptical, "Okay Finnick. I trust you."

They get Mags and head down to the basement.

….

"Well, Sweetheart, looks like everything is going to run smoothly. Anything else you have to do before this starts, we have about…. 5 minutes."

Haymitch had told them the "game plan" when they woke up this morning. The plan was as follows: The kids and the mothers would stay locked inside the bunker. Katniss, Gale, Peeta and Haymitch would stand guard.

Haymitch had showed Peeta and Gale the right way to shoot a gun. He also gave Katniss a bow and arrow to practice with.

He made them all dress in some protective gear he had in the weapon room.

He told them that if _anything _sounded wrong, if they heard _anything _out of the ordinary, that they need to run to the bunker immediately. He told them that the TV showed cameras that showed the outside of the house.

It was a simple game plan But sometimes plans don't work out accordingly.

Katniss and Gale were hoping that _their _plan worked out accordingly.

Katniss held her bow and arrow in her hand, "Nope I think we are all good. Prim and the others are already downstairs."

Haymitch nods, "Okay. What about you two? Anything?"  
Peeta and Gale both shook their heads, "Nope I think everything is –

The doorbell rings.

They all turn.  
"What the hell? Who can that be?" Katniss says frightened.

Haymitch's face stays blank, "I don't know…. "

He walks over to the door.

"Haymitch! Don't open that!" Katniss says.

He ignores her.

"Haymitch!" Peeta whispers.

He still heads toward the door.

He looks inside the peephole.

"Oh, great."

He opens the door.

A blonde hair girl that looks about Katniss's age is at the door.

She looks oddly familiar…..

"Madge!" Katniss says.

_What the HELL is rich girl doing here! _Gale thinks.

Madge stands at the door frightened.

She walks inside, "Haymitch. You have to know. My dad said…. My dad said that it's four. Four now, and that you have too. Hanging, and blood, and…"

Madge was going crazy.

"Slow down. What are you saying?" Gale asks.

She ignores him.

"Haymitch you understand right? You have to understand!"  
Haymitch face looks paler than it has ever had.

He also looks….. Scared?

No. that can't be.

"What the HELL is going on?!" Gale screams.

Madge doesn't even look at him.

"Haymitch-

Just then the TV turned on.

A blue screen popped up.

They all looked at the clock.

It was Seven.

"Crap, its starting!" Gale says.

The TV rings out a weird noise.

A woman's voice speaks.

"_This is not a test. This is you emergency broadcast system announcing the commencement of the first annual Purge sanctioned by the Capitol. Weapons of class 4 and lower have been authorized for use during the Purge. All other weapons are restricted. Peacekeepers have been granted immunity from the Purge and shall not be harmed. Commencing at the siren, all murders will be legal for twelve continuous hours. Emergency medical services will be unavailable until tomorrow morning at seven a.m., when the Purge concludes. Blessed be our President, and Panem, a nation reborn. May god be with you al!"_

Four loud sirens ring out throughout Panem.

"BRING!

BRING!

BRING!

BRING!"

Claudius Templesmith's voice rings out, "Attention, Ladies and Gentlemen. Let the First Annual Purge Begin."

The TV goes back to Caesar.

"Well, it looks like this is it, everybody! Let's see how this goes!"

The audience cheers.

The group all look at each other.

_Crap._

It was time.

"Katniss?" a voice says.

She turns around.

"Prim?"

**That took FOREVER! I might not update tomorrow, so I made this long just in case. I wanted to get the announcement STARTED finally so I did. I am watching the Purge right now, just so I can get more ideas.**

**Also, should I have the Districts A: Move from District to District? (For example, District Two can travel to District 12) OR should I B: Keep everyone in their own District (Ex. District seven must stay in District Seven; they can't travel out.)**

**I want to go with **_A_**because I want Finnick and Johanna to meet up with some "People" (hint, hint) and I want to bring some "killers" (hint hint again) to District Twelve.**

**What do you guys think?**

**Tell me your thoughts!**


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